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Columbus Blue Jackets Today

The Crew came up short in a bid to land U.S. national-team midfielder
Mix Diskerud.

Yesterday marked the closure of Major League Soccer’s summer transfer, and throughout the day,
reports surfaced linking the Crew to Diskerud, who is under contract with Norway’s Rosenborg BK.
During the first half of last night’s MLS All-Star Game, Crew investor-operator
Anthony Precourt confirmed the link and that the deal came up short.

“Really wanted Mix in Columbus,” Precourt tweeted. “We gave it everything, so as disappointed as
we are, we didn’t leave anything on the table.”

According to multiple reports, the deal was all but final before Diskerud’s father, who is also
his agent, scuttled the deal by asking for more at the final deadline. During the all-star game,
ESPN analyst
Taylor Twellman said the Crew offered Diskerud more than double what he is making
in Norway.

Diskerud has made 20 appearances with the national team.

Yesterday marked the final date that MLS teams could sign players under contract in other
countries. FIFA’s worldwide transfer does not close until Aug. 31, which means MLS teams could
still sign players from other countries who entered the league’s summer window without a
contract.

That means the Crew still has time to sign players such as Greek forward
Dimitrios Papadopoulos or find a buyer for defender
Giancarlo Gonzalez.

The Crew still retains the top spot in the league’s allocation order, which would give it the
right of first refusal for returning U.S. national-team players or players who left MLS for a
transfer fee.

— Adam Jardy

AUTO RACING

Rahal, Earnhardt lose National Guard as sponsor

The National Guard said it will end its sponsorship of IndyCar driver
Graham Rahal and NASCAR driver
Dale Earnhardt Jr., but it is not clear when that goes into effect.

Bobby Rahal, co-owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, released a statement
saying, “We were informed this afternoon that the National Guard will end all sponsorship of
motorsports, including both IndyCar and NASCAR at the conclusion of the 2014 seasons.”

Earnhardt’s Hendrick Motorsports said in a statement it has a contract through 2015, and there
have not been discussions to change that deal.

• Former NASCAR driver
Rusty Wallace was one of seven men inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of
America in Detroit. Wallace had 55 career victories.

Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner
Arie Luyendyk also was inducted.

The other members of the class are: drag racer and car owner
Raymond Beadle;Ole Bardahl, founder of the Bardahl Oil Company that has sponsored entries in a
variety of motorsports; International Motor Sports Association founder
John Bishop; three-time American Motorcyclist Association grand national champion
Ricky Graham; and NASCAR pioneer
Marshall Teague.